Soybean Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) is caused by a pathogenic fungal infection of Fusarium solani. Upon entering the roots and crowns of a soybean plant, the pathogen grows through the plant's vascular system, causing foliar scorch, sudden wilting and death.
At present, there is a dearth of suitable methods for preventing and managing SDS. Although fungicides may be effective in reducing population levels of the fungus, the use of fungicides does not always prevent SDS infections or achieve a complete reduction of SDS symptoms.
Identifying genes that enhances SDS tolerance of soybeans could lead to more efficient crop production by allowing for the identification, selection and production of soybean plants with enhanced SDS tolerance.